Transfer Your Plumber License to Georgia: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers (Office of the Secretary of State) ↗
Georgia publishes no named partner list, but the Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers (Office of the Secretary of State) evaluates out-of-state plumbers for endorsement individually, crediting a comparable exam or documented experience. Under Board Rule 121-2-.03 ('Statewide License by Reciprocity') Georgia may issue a journeyman or master plumber license WITHOUT its own examination to an applicant holding a current out-of-state license that was granted by passing an exam given by a board whose examination and requirements are substantially equal to Georgia's and that offers a reciprocal privilege to Georgia licensees; however, the Division's FAQ states Georgia currently has no reciprocity with any state, so in practice out-of-state applicants must pass the Georgia plumber examination (minimum score 70). Application fee: $80–$160 (Journeyman ~$80 ($70 application + $10 processing); master ~$160 ($150 application + $10 processing) per the Division's plumbing exam/initial-application form. Examination administered by PSI with a separate exam fee paid to PSI; that exam is waived only for a qualifying reciprocity applicant under Rule 121-2-.03. Fee figures obtained via search extraction of the Division's official forms because the sos.ga.gov fee-schedule PDF returned HTTP 403 on direct load).
Moving to Georgia from a specific state?
Pick your current state — the checker returns your exact pathway.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Georgia works case-by-case rather than from a published partner list, so the Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers (Office of the Secretary of State)'s judgment on your specific license, exam history, and documented experience decides the outcome. Where the pathway is equivalency-based, the board is measuring your home state's standards and experience requirements against its own. Get any exam waiver or experience credit confirmed in writing before you rely on it — discretionary approvals are exactly the kind of thing that shifts between reviewers.
Georgia has a reciprocity mechanism on the books (Rule 121-2-.03) but the Division's FAQ states it does not have reciprocity with any state; the rule requires the out-of-state license to have been earned by examination from a board with substantially-equal requirements that also offers a reciprocal privilege to Georgia licensees, and grandfathered non-exam licensees are excluded. Because no active partner agreements are named, reciprocity_partners is empty and most out-of-state applicants should expect to sit the Georgia exam. Journeyman requires 1 year of experience and master 5 years (2 as a journeyman) per Rule 121-3, both verified directly on rules.sos.ga.gov. Master plumber is a higher tier captured here in requirements, not as a separate row. No national plumber verification database exists, so verification_system_url is Georgia's own license lookup.
Georgia requirements at a glance
| Exam | Under Board Rule 121-2-.03 ('Statewide License by Reciprocity') Georgia may issue a journeyman or master plumber license WITHOUT its own examination to an applicant holding a current out-of-state license that was granted by passing an exam given by a board whose examination and requirements are substantially equal to Georgia's and that offers a reciprocal privilege to Georgia licensees; however, the Division's FAQ states Georgia currently has no reciprocity with any state, so in practice out-of-state applicants must pass the Georgia plumber examination (minimum score 70) |
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| Additional requirements |
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| Fees | $80–$160 (Journeyman ~$80 ($70 application + $10 processing); master ~$160 ($150 application + $10 processing) per the Division's plumbing exam/initial-application form. Examination administered by PSI with a separate exam fee paid to PSI; that exam is waived only for a qualifying reciprocity applicant under Rule 121-2-.03. Fee figures obtained via search extraction of the Division's official forms because the sos.ga.gov fee-schedule PDF returned HTTP 403 on direct load) |
| Processing time | No board-stated processing time in weeks; the Division publishes exam dates and application deadlines and an application must be approved before the scheduled examination |
Step by step
- Confirm Georgia's current requirements on the Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers (Office of the Secretary of State) website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers (Office of the Secretary of State) (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Journeyman: document at least one (1) year of experience in plumbing work (Rule 121-3).
- Pass the Georgia plumber examination with a minimum score of 70 (administered by PSI) unless qualifying for reciprocity under Rule 121-2-.03.
- Provide three references from licensed plumbers attesting to experience.
- Apply through the GOALS online licensing portal (paper applications no longer accepted).
- Master (statewide) tier requires five (5) years of experience, at least two (2) as a licensed journeyman plumber.
- Pay the fees ($80–$160 (Journeyman ~$80 ($70 application + $10 processing); master ~$160 ($150 application + $10 processing) per the Division's plumbing exam/initial-application form. Examination administered by PSI with a separate exam fee paid to PSI; that exam is waived only for a qualifying reciprocity applicant under Rule 121-2-.03. Fee figures obtained via search extraction of the Division's official forms because the sos.ga.gov fee-schedule PDF returned HTTP 403 on direct load)) and allow No board-stated processing time in weeks; the Division publishes exam dates and application deadlines and an application must be approved before the scheduled examination.
Official links
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Georgia:
All 50 origin states
Frequently asked questions
Does my plumbing license transfer to Georgia?
Georgia publishes no named partner list, but the Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers (Office of the Secretary of State) evaluates out-of-state plumbers for endorsement individually, crediting a comparable exam or documented experience. Under Board Rule 121-2-.03 ('Statewide License by Reciprocity') Georgia may issue a journeyman or master plumber license WITHOUT its own examination to an applicant holding a current out-of-state license that was granted by passing an exam given by a board whose examination and requirements are substantially equal to Georgia's and that offers a reciprocal privilege to Georgia licensees; however, the Division's FAQ states Georgia currently has no reciprocity with any state, so in practice out-of-state applicants must pass the Georgia plumber examination (minimum score 70). Application fee: $80–$160 (Journeyman ~$80 ($70 application + $10 processing); master ~$160 ($150 application + $10 processing) per the Division's plumbing exam/initial-application form. Examination administered by PSI with a separate exam fee paid to PSI; that exam is waived only for a qualifying reciprocity applicant under Rule 121-2-.03. Fee figures obtained via search extraction of the Division's official forms because the sos.ga.gov fee-schedule PDF returned HTTP 403 on direct load).
Will I have to take Georgia's plumbing exam?
Under Board Rule 121-2-.03 ('Statewide License by Reciprocity') Georgia may issue a journeyman or master plumber license WITHOUT its own examination to an applicant holding a current out-of-state license that was granted by passing an exam given by a board whose examination and requirements are substantially equal to Georgia's and that offers a reciprocal privilege to Georgia licensees; however, the Division's FAQ states Georgia currently has no reciprocity with any state, so in practice out-of-state applicants must pass the Georgia plumber examination (minimum score 70).
What will licensing in Georgia cost an out-of-state plumber, and how long does it take?
$80–$160 (Journeyman ~$80 ($70 application + $10 processing); master ~$160 ($150 application + $10 processing) per the Division's plumbing exam/initial-application form. Examination administered by PSI with a separate exam fee paid to PSI; that exam is waived only for a qualifying reciprocity applicant under Rule 121-2-.03. Fee figures obtained via search extraction of the Division's official forms because the sos.ga.gov fee-schedule PDF returned HTTP 403 on direct load); processing No board-stated processing time in weeks; the Division publishes exam dates and application deadlines and an application must be approved before the scheduled examination.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Georgia Rules & Regulations 121-2 (Qualifications) incl. Rule 121-2-.03 Statewide License by Reciprocity ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia Rules & Regulations 121-3 (Application for Licensure — 1-yr journeyman / 5-yr master experience, exam minimum score 70) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia SOS — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers (board page) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia SOS — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers FAQ (reciprocity statement) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]